Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-02-09
Washington Gossip.
Regular Correspondent of the Journal

Irregular Correspondent of the journal
WASHINGTON, b. c., Feb. 6.
There is an organized attempt, both in
Congress aud among the democratic employees
IN the departments, to create the impression
throughout the country that the republicans
who are retained in office are purposey de-
LAYING the business of the several depart
ments in order to embarrass the administra-
ton. No one with grain of sense could
for a moment entertain SO absurd an idea
The only hope which \ republican has of
holding his office is that he is able to do more
and superior work than his democratic fellow
clerk. The charge is made solely for the
purpose of inducing the President to con-
sent to a wholesale removal of republicans
to make room for the hungry and thirsty
very acknowledgements Some of these
we'll laid schemes however, do not work, as
will be seen bv the following instance: A
by a democrat the other day and asked if
there was any work in her office which was
much behind. She replied that there was.
After good deal of hemming and having he
finally asked if she would be willing to testify
to that fact if called upon to do so. She said
she would. Presently a democratic official
appeared and was introduced. "Now,
madam said he, az understand that some
portion of the work in your office is behind"
She assented. "Well. wish you to state to
me all the facts in the case, for l desire to
show that the republicans in this office are
delaying the work so as to embarrass the ad-
ministration IN its work of REFORM" (Great
flourish. Yes sir" replied the lady quiet
ly. 81 can tell you all about it in a moment
An efficient republican clerk who for many
years had been in charge of the particular
work to which l referred, was discharged
about fifteen months ago, and the office has
never been able to find suitable person to
fill the place. That's the reason the work is
behind!'
The great pension building now nearing
completion in Judiciary Square. at the cor
ner OF G.. and Fifth streets, n. W., has
has been the subject of much I think unde-
opinion there may be as to the exterior. there
can be no doubt as to the merits
of the interior architecture. In the
centre of the building is great
covered court. This grand hall is,
with one exception, the largest audience
room in the United States, and in point of
capacity stands about fourth in the list of
the large interiors of the world. But the
fact has scarcely been mentioned before
General Meigs, the architect of the building,
says that the hail in the Pension building and
the galleries surrounding it have seating
capacity of II 301 men. The hall itself is
3l6 feet long and lie feet wide. while it has
two tiers of galleries extending all around it,
which are twelve feet in width. third gal
lery which also encircles the hall is Eve feet
in width. Gen. Meigs says he has estimated
that 80 900 people can find standing room in
this great space at one time. St. Peters
church. Rome, which is the largest structure
in the world, will, in the same wav, hold
"a. 600 people. Gen. Meigs thinks that the
principal portion of the inauguration exercises
will 10 the future be held in this hall. /
doubt that, but it will be a grand place for
future inaugural balls, if we must be in
a icted with such nuisances. twill be remem-
bered that the last inaugural ball was held
in this building.
The attitude and conversation of Southern
women in office is sometimes almost intoler-
able to Northern ladies. Their constant
boasting Of the superiority of the South and
everything Southern. their idolatry of JEFF
Davis and other high officers who fought to
destroy the government, their monotonous,
never-ceasing, morning noon and night repe-